ZEBALLOS, British Columbia (AP) — A young killer whale that was trapped for more than a month in a lagoon on Vancouver Island swam past a bottleneck at high tide early Friday, reaching an inlet that could take it to the open sea, officials said.
The Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations said in a statement that a team monitoring the 2-year-old calf saw it swim past the area where its mother had died, pass under a bridge and head down the inlet “all on her own.”
The young orca still must leave the Little Espinosa Inlet to reach open ocean.
The calf had been stuck in the tidal lagoon near the British Columbia village of Zeballos about 450 kilometers (280 miles) northwest of Victoria since March 23, when its pregnant mother became trapped at low tide and died on a rocky beach.
“Today the community of Zeballos and people everywhere are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for strength this little orca has shown,” Chief Simon John said in a release.
Buildings shake briefly as earthquake rattles Taiwan
Officials advise softer is better when it comes to boot camps
St. Louis Blues remove interim tag and name Drew Bannister full
Dealing with fast spreading pest hits new milestone for Otago Regional Council
Buildings shake briefly as earthquake rattles Taiwan
Changes to flu vaccine eligibility missed opportunity to improve health equity
New Mexico high court upholds man's 3 murder convictions in 2018 shooting deaths near Dixon
How electorate candidates funded their campaigns
China's consumption gains steam as shopping, tourism, catering rebound
China news: Mystery as Xi Jinping unexpectedly skips key speech